Airplane toy



' F. PETTIT AIRPLANE TOY Jan. 11, 1955 ZSheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 16, 1951 INVENTOR. fkq/v/r 1 57-777:

BY MM ATTORNE Y.

Jan. 11, 1955 F. PETTIT 2, 99,334 AIRPLANE TOY Filed May 16, 195

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

INVENTOR. EPA/1w Psrr/ 7:

ATTORNEY.

United States Patent AIRPLANE TOY Frank Pettit, Union, N. J. Application May 16, 1951, Serial No. 226,645 17 Elaims. (Cl. 272---31) The present invention relates to airplane toys and is more particularly directed toward tethered airplane toys each having a motor-driven, propeller-actuated un1t re- Volvable about a vertical axis and capable of being maneuvered by external controls.

According to the present invention, the motor-driven, propeller-actuated toy airplane unit is carried by a turntable adapted to revolve about a vertical axis and the unit is mounted on this turntable on a horizontal axis as a balance so as to be tilted up and down. The unit is also mounted so that it can be rotated on its own axis, whereby the angle of attack of the toy airplane may be varied, preferably both above and below the horizontal and on both sides of the vertical.

The present invention contemplates that a toy of the nature above referred to will be operated by a remote controlled, variable speed, electric motor with wiring connections such that current can be supplied to the motor in all positions in which the movable parts of the device may be or through which they may move. The present invention also contemplates remote control whereby the toy airplane unit with motor and airplane may be rotated about its own axis while the toy is in operation.

The tethered airplane toy contemplated by the present invention with the controls available may be readily operated to cause the toy airplane to revolve about the vertical axis at speeds and elevations depending upon the speed of the motor and the angle of attack of the toy airplane. Not only can the plane be caused to fly around the vertical axis in one direction while right side up at varying levels, but it can also be flown upside down at varying levels and can be caused to execute inside or outside loops while it is in operationall by means of external controls.

The accompanying drawings show, for purposes of illustrating the present invention, an embodiment in limiting the same.

In these drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the complete toy with controls in position and the toy airplane at rest in full lines and in flight in dotted lines;

Figure 2 is a perspective view illustrating the toy in operation;

Figure 3 larger scale;

Figure 4 is a top plan view with parts broken away and showing the revolvable parts in two positions;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view on the line 5-5 of Figure 4 showing the turntable, the mounting for the motor driven airplane toy unit and the controls being in elevation;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 6-6 of Figure 5 showing the mounting means and current supply elements for the motorized unit, whereby the is a side elevational view of the same at a ing on a collector ring;

Figure 9 1s a fragmentary sectional view showing the coupling of the control unit and the supporting tower or pylon;

Figure 10 is trol unit; and

Figure 11 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a modified form of construction.

In the construction shown in Figures 1 to 10, the toy is in the form of a roundabout having a supporting tower or pylon 20, adapted to rest on the floor or other support.

At the top of the pylon or tower 20 is a vertical tube 21 which extends through an insulated disk or ring 22. an annular groove 23 to receive the ball race of a ball bearing 24. A turntable 25 is received on the upper end 26 of the tube 21 and is held in a ring 27 secured to the tube and bearing on another ball race at 28. The turntable by th a vertical sectional view through the conthrough the turntable and tower.

The turntable 25 has a long side bracket 31 and a short side bracket 32 to which character 40 the turntable about the axis of the tube acter 50, which is capable of revolving about the longitudinal axis of the ball bearing 46. As here shown, the inner race a sleeve to offer considerable frictronal resistance to relative rotation. On the right-hand side of the inner race of the bearing 46 is a second 2-- shaped collector 53 which bears on the ring 44 so as to provide an improved ground connection.

The sleeve 51 fixedly carries a relatively long, light weight tube 54. end this tube carries the form a unit which can the bearings 45, 47. The toy airplane slightly over-balances the motor so that in the normal position the airplane is below the axis of pivots 37, 38. It is pivoted on the end of the tube so as to rest on the floor or table in the normal position of a landed plane.

To the right of the assemblage 40, the sleeve 51 carries a cylinder 61 having an outer friction surface. This cylinder may be conveniently made of relatively soft rubber-like material. Its extreme right edge preferably does not extend beyond the vertical axis about which the turntable revolves. The lower end of the tube 21 is bent as indicated at 70 and is secured to a tubular sleeve 71 carried at the bottom of the tower or pylon. The upper part of the central tube 26 carries an annular member 72 which can be moved up and down with respect to the tube and revolved by means of the flexible shaft 73, which extends down through the tube 21 and out through the sleeve 71. The annular member 72 is normally disengaged from the cylinder 61 in all positions of the motor airplane unit.

The controller unit, designated by the reference character C, is adapted to rest on the same supporting surface which supports the pylon or tower and is physically connected to it and spaced from it by a tube 74 detachably secured in tube 71 as indicated in Figure 9. The flexible shaft 73 extends through the tube 74 and its extreme end 75 is connected to a hand wheel 76 urged outwardly by coiled spring 77. The force of this spring holds the annular member 72 out of engagement with the cylinder 61. To bring these parts 72 and 61 into engagement, it is merely necessary to press down on the hand wheel 76 to compress spring 77 and the flexible shaft 73 elevates the member 72.

The flexible shaft 73 can be turned to the right or left by turning the hand wheel 76. When the parts 72 and 61 are in engagement, they act similar to a pair of miter gears, and it is possible to rotate the cylinder 61 and motorized airplane unit about the longitudinal axis of the tube 54. This rotation can be in an amount in either direction, and as soon as pressure is relieved on the hand wheel, the spring 77 lowers the part 72 so that the angle of attack of the airplane continues unchanged.

The controller C has a rheostat 80 connected to the wire 30 and to a suitable source of power, either a battery or low voltage transformer, having one side grounded. A switch arm 81 cooperating with the rheostat starts and stops the motor M and controls its speed.

When the toy is at rest, the parts assume the full line position shown in Figures 1 and 2, the toy airplane 58 being landed on the floor and at some angular location about the vertical axis of the pylon. In this position, it rests upon the floor or other horizontal support, in a position to have a normal angle of attack, so that when power is applied by energizing the motor, the toy plane starts to move around the pylon in a clockwise di rection and gradually climbs in a helical path until it arrives at a normal operating height such as indicated in Figures 2 and 3. It will then fly around in a circle. The normal angle of attack will be maintained as the friction of the brushes is suflicient to prevent change.

If one now desires to stunt the plane, the controller handle 76 may be pushed in and given a turn to the right or left, so that the plane is turned to the right or left as indicated by the dotted and arrowed circles 90, 99 of Figures 1 and 2. This maneuver changes the angle of attack of the plane and causes it to dive or soar, and if the turning is far enough to invert the plane, it may execute a loop and fly, dive or soar upside down. These manipulations can all be made while the plane is in operation so that highly realistic plane operation can be achieved by the remote controls.

By separating the tube 74 from the sleeve 71, it is possible to sufficiently disconnect the control unit from the tower so that it may be shifted into a position more suitable for packing in shipment.

In the modified construction of Figure 11, the support 80 extends downwardly from above and the turntable and airplane parts are below it. Here the turntable 81 may be similar to turntable and may support a motorized airplane unit similar to the one above described, the principal difference being that the friction cylinder 82 corresponding with the cylinder 61 previously described is on the same side of the pivot 83 as the motor M. Here the movable member 84 corresponding with member 72 previously described is above the motorized unit and is movable up and down and angularly to engage the cylinder 82. It may be operated by suitable remote control similar to that previously described.

Since it is obvious that the invention may be embodied in other forms of constructions within the scope of the claims, I wish it to be understood that the particular form shown is but one of these forms together with a modification thereof, and various modifications and changes being possible, I do not otherwise limit myself in any way with respect thereto.

What is claimed is:

l. A tethered airplane toy having a toy airplane unit including a propeller driven toy airplane and a motor for driving the propeller, the unit being revolvable about a vertical axis and tiltable about a horizontal axis which revolves about the said vertical axis, whereby the toy airplane unit may be revolved about the vertical axis at various angles of tilt, when driven at flying speed and uniform angle of attack, and means for mounting the toy airplane unit including motor and toy airplane for rotation through 360 about a radial axis at right angles to the horizontal axis, whereby the angle of attack of the toy airplane may be varied both above and below the horizontal and both sides of the vertical.

2. A tethered airplane toy as claimed in claim 1, having a revolvable turntable which supports the toy airplane unit and forms one side of a current supply circuit to the motor and carries an insulated current collecting brush which bears on an insulated collector ring on the other side of the current supply circuit to the motor, and wherein the revolvable turntable which supports the toy airplane unit includes an insulated collector ring connected to the brush, a cooperative current collector hearing on the ring and return conductors from the other side of the motor to the current collector.

3. A tethered airplane toy as claimed in claim 1, having means for manually elfecting rotation of the toy airplane unit about said radial axis, including a member carried by said unit for rotation with the unit and a manually operable member normally disengaged from the rotatable member, but movable to a position to engage the rotatable member and when in said engaging position movable in either direction to rotate the unit in the selected direction and for the selected amount.

4. A tethered airplane toy, as claimed in claim 3, wherein the manually operable member is annular about the vertical axis of revolution, is reciprocable along said axis and rotatable about it.

5. A tethered airplane toy, as claimed in claim 4, having a flexible shaft connected to said annular member, and a shaft operator spring biased to a position to hold the annular member disengaged from the member carried by the airplane unit.

6. An airplane toy comprising a vertically extending support, a turntable mounted on the support for rotation about a vertical axis, a tube, turntable carried means for supporting the tube for bodily movement in vertical directions about a horizontal axis near the end thereof, whereby the tube can be revolved about said vertical axis and tilt about said horizontal axis, a motor carried by the short end of the tube and drivingly connected to a flexible shaft extending through the tube, a toy airplane carried by the other end of the tube and having a propeller drivingly connected to the other end of the flexible shaft, the tube being bent so that the propeller axis is at right angles to the general direction of the tube, and means included in the tube supporting means for supporting the tube, motor and toy airplane for rotary movement about the tube axis whereby the vertical angle of the propeller axis may be varied.

7. An airplane toy as claimed in claim 6, having an insulated collector ring adjacent the turntable and coaxial therewith, a turntable carried insulated brush bearing on the collector ring, a second insulated collector ring carried by the tube supporting means and connected with the brush, an insulated current collector carried by the tube to rotate therewith and bearing on the second ring, and a current lead from the current collector to one side of the motor winding.

8. An airplane toy as claimed in claim 6, having a member fixedly carried by the tube and partaking of all the movements of the tube, and a device normally disengaged from said tube carried member but movable to engage it and move it about the tube axis to vary the vertical angle of the propeller axis.

9. An airplane toy as claimed in claim 8, wherein said device is also movable in either direction in an amount to efiect rotation of the tube about its axis.

10. An airplane toy as claimed in claim 6, having a tor, a current collector fixedly and insulatedly supported member fixedly carried by the tube and partaking of all from the tube and connected to the other side of the movements of the tube, a vertically movable member romotor windings, an insulated ring carried by the outside tatable about the turntable axis and normally disengaged part of the ring bearing and on which the current colfrom the tube carried member, and manual means to 5 lector bears, two pin bearings extending in opposite dimove the movable member into engagement with the rections from the axis of the tube and diametrically optube carried member and rotate the tube carried member, posite one another, one pin bearing entering the ring the tube, the motor, and the toy airplane about the tube bearing and being in electrical conducting relation with axis. the tube, the other pin bearing being insulated from the 11. An airplane toy as claimed in claim 6, having a first and entering the insulated ring and being in electrical member fixedly carried by the tube and partaking of all conducting relation with the insulated ring, and a twomovements of the tube, a vertically movable member part support for the two pin bearings in which the bearrotatable about the turntable axis and normally disenings are angularly movable about said diametrical axis, gaged from the tube carried member, a second flexible one part insulated from the other whereby continuous shaft carried by the support and drivingly connected to current supply connection to the motor may be mainthe vertically movable member, a controller external of tained.

the support and having a rotary and reciprocable oper- 15. In an airplane toy as claimed in claim 14, wherein ator connected to the second flexible shaft for reciprothe two-part support for the bearings is in the form of a cating and turning the latter, and a stationary sheath turntable mounted for revolution about a vertical axis, about the second flexible shaft. and having a stationary insulated collector ring connected 12. In an airplane toy, a vertical support, a turntable to the insulated bearing supporting part and a brush carcarried thereby and revolvable about a vertical axis, the ried on the bearing support and bearing on the insulated turntable having spaced apart, bearing members, one incollector ring. sulated from the other, a generally annular assemblage 16. A tethered airplane toy comprising a tower, a rehaving two pivot members cooperating with the bearing volvable turntable carried at the top of the tower, a motor members so that the assemblage can swing about a horidriven, propeller actuated toy airplane unit secured to zontal axis located laterally of the turntable axis, said the turntable to revolve therewith and for tilting about assemblage including two coaxial insulated collector rings, a horizontal axis as it revolves about the vertical axis, one connected to each of the pivot members, a coaxial and including a tube disposed in a generally horizontal bearing inside the inner ring, a tube secured to the inner direction at right angles with said horizontal axis and rent collectors and its stator secured to the short end of position of the unit with respect to the tube axis comthe tube, a toy airplane carried by the other end of the prising a vertical tower carried tube disposed in the turntube and having a propeller, and a flexible shaft in the table axis and a reciprocable and rotatable member cartube and connecting the rotor of the motor and the proried by the vertical tube and engageable with the unit to peller. impart rotation thereto.

13. A tethered airplane toy having a toy airplane with 17. A tethered airplane toy comprising a tower, a reairplane body and propeller, a propeller operating motor, volvable turntable carried at the top of the tower, a motor a tube connecting the toy airplane and motor stator, a driven, propeller actuated toy airplane unit secured to flexible shaft connecting the motor rotor and propeller, the turntable to revolve therewith and for tilting about a the motor, tube, toy airplane and flexible shaft forming a horizontal axis as it revolves about the vertical axis, and unit in which the motor stator and airplane body are including a tube disposed in a generally horizontal direcrigidly connected by the tube, the propeller axis being tion at right angles with said horizontal axis and bent so substantially at right angles to the general direction of that the propeller axis is at right angles to said general the tube, tube mounting means for supporting the tube, direction, the tube carrying both the motor and the toy whereby said unit is rotatable about the tube axis and airplane as well as the driving means between the motor is oscillatable about a horizontal axis at right angles to and propeller, and means for adjusting the angular posie tube axis and located near the motor, means to suption of the unit comprising a vertical, tower-carried tube, port the tube mounting means for rotation about a verdisposed in the turntable axis, an annular member rotical axis located laterally of the horizontal axis, whereby tatable about the said vertical axis and reciprocable therein operation the direction of rotation of the unit about along toward and away from the airplane carrying tube, the vertical axis and the ascent and descent of the toy the latter tube carrying a surface engageable with the anairplane vary with the angular position of the unit about nular member when said member is in its upper position. the tube axis and means to vary the angular position of the1 about thle tube axis. b h d References Cited in the file of this patent 11 an anp ane toy, a tu e, a motor aving a woun stator carried by the tube at one of its ends and having UNITED STATES PATENTS one side of the stator winding connected to the tube, a 1,980,391 Eslinger Nov. 13, 1934 toy airplane carried by the tube at the other end, an 2,067,828 Christiansen Jan. 12, 1937 airplane propeller carried by the toy airplane, a flexible 2,149,666 Christiansen Mar. 7, 1939 shaft connecting the propeller with the motor rotor, a 2,216,899 Berger Oct. 8, 1940 ring bearing concentric with the tube and in which the 2,300,649 Christiansen Nov. 3, 1942 tube is mounted for rotation about its axis near the mo- 2,472,556 West June 7, 1949 

